


A Badge of Honor on Time's Weary Chest

by Polarissruler



Series: Humanity's Epic [1]
Category: Shin Megami Tensei Series, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, ib: Instant Bullet
Genre: Destiny, Dialogue Heavy, End of the World, Fate & Destiny, Gen, Out of Body Experiences, Outer Space, Parallel Universes, Predestination, Time Travel, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:41:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25592938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polarissruler/pseuds/Polarissruler
Summary: The world had ended. What happened after that? A curious witch went too far - far beyond anyone could survive. She did not expect companions. But he always caught her by surprise.
Series: Humanity's Epic [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1854991





	A Badge of Honor on Time's Weary Chest

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, yes, I know that June is almost over and I don't have the Fairy Tail fic written (for more info, check my dreamwidth or FFN profile). It's almost done - I just need to finish editing it and I'll post it tomorrow! (for real). But once I finished ib - a great manga I read in a single breathe - I had to write this story. Alcor is my favourite DeSu2 character - but getting his alien mindest was a big pain. All comments welcome - especially constructive critism. Tell me where I can make things better!
> 
> Title taken from Tangra's Song "Don Quixote".
> 
> About Humanity's Epic - it's something like an AU-verse I've thought of. It involves Fate, ib, SMT and some other fandoms I haven't decided on yet for sure. It will mostly consist of one-shots, but I have one bigger crossover fic planned in it.

The universe was eating itself - cannibalism on the wildest scale. One by one, stars disappeared in the colorless void. Its edge bled over the light, leaving only the vast, endless darkness. No being should have survived.

"Good evening, witch."

He floated by the Ursa Minor constellation, hands in his pockets. All other stars had devoured themselves.

"You can just use my name. Unlike me, who never learned yours."

"People find it strange when I call them before they have introduced themselves."

Yes, because only normal people talked during the universe's death. Insane. She laughed.

"All for naught, then? At least I hoped someone close to me would destroy the world."

If the witch had a body, she would have sat next to the man. She only observed from her safe place in the past.

The man's smile faltered, just short of becoming a frown.

"Would you not rather save it?"

"Impossible. All I see becomes a reality. I know, but cannot affect."

"Not at all." He looked at Polaris - from Earth, a mere dot. In the space it blazed with full glory; a masterful spectacle of radiation for the two survivors. "She has changed her mind before."

"No matter. The world cursed me. The world shunned me. The world hurt me. I will play the vengeful witch that causes its destruction."

"What about your friends?"

"A handful of people I would save. But the hate for everybody else outweighs my love. I have my ib, after all. Once he admits he loves me, though… No, his love stays out of reach. When he says it, I will not get a second chance."

A few weeks ago, a girl with a pointy hat smiled.

"Do you suspect me of lying?"

"Why should I trust you? No person would live to the end of everything with only the light ib. What is your real power?"

Baseless, effectless, reasonless accusation. She had to confirm it. 

"Our paths will never cross again; I can answer your last question." After a pause, the man continued. "Do you know what a singularity is?"

"Physics jargon? Sorry, learned only enough to sound smart."

"How strange for a ruler over time. Perhaps if you knew better… But it holds no meaning to ponder over ungrown branches of an uprooted tree. A singularity makes all knowledge useless. Something so distinct that no one can predict how it will affect the world. Something beyond all rules we know."

"That excuse? Sorry, I can't understand human suffering, because they are so alien to me."

With a flick of his hand even the last stars died to the greedy darkness. "Let me ask you - if the ibs represent the fundamentals of the universe, should there not be a manifestation of them? The ib of ibs? A rough comparison, but my best."

"What does it mean?"

Fear creaked through her veins. Answer hung in the air, close and yet transparent.

"Full dominion. All their abilities. Removing them on a whim." The alien paused as if it feared the witch. "And of course, giving them."

She swore under her non-existent breath. "You…" Her voice died. Mad cackling echoed in the void. "You could have taken my curse at any point! I could have lived a normal life! I could have lived! I…"

A girl's body slumped back and cried.

The witch's voice - composed once again - spoke.

"Was it funny?"

"I am afraid I do not understand you."

"Why else would you give us the power? You wanted to watch us fight and kill. For your sick amusement."

The alien sighed. "I have met people like that, yet never found the enjoyment. Perhaps it separates me from you. If I could keep the power to myself, I would."

Lair, lair, lair. "Why, then?"

"My master's orders. She wishes to see humanity ripen up and prove itself to her. If they can withstand her trail, they will advance. If they fail… The human expression is ‘back to the blackboard'."

Master? The universe's emptiness expanded before the witch's eyes. She had always suspected the alien, but someone above him? How far did the chain go? "Are you using us as lab mice?" Her quiet voice died in the dead darkness.

"As far as I know, she has created you with that goal."

No future, huh? The witch had seen it long ago when she looked too far. Her whole life had already been played out, directed to the last step. She had adapted to her tiny cell of determination. It just grew even smaller. Not the heartless universe had decided it, with cold physic laws that no one could change. An entity sat on her throne and changed worlds at whim.

"You seem intent on breaking me completely, huh?"

"I expected a more violent reaction."

"You will outlive the universe. Even with all the time in the world, however little, I would fall by you. The world's end must happen. I have seen it. The die has been cast the moment you cursed us with the ibs."

"My master gave the order. I only obeyed. Not I sealed its fate; when you chose to destroy it with the powers of creation…"

"Choice! You have no right to talk of choice! Not when we suffered because of your curses! Not when you could walk off with your master and regret nothing! Not when we got ibs - our endless malice to the whole world! What did you expect? We would suddenly forget and forgive? Of course, we destroyed, of course, we raged… Why does it matter? Your master will fix it with a flick of her hand and anything we do will have no meaning! You already know the ending! Why do you even hold the experiment?"

The witch left. The whole empty universe stood between her and the alien. 

Few weeks in the past, a girl stormed in The Edge of the World.

Alcor remained alone. "I wonder about that, too," he said to the infant stars. Perhaps, this universe would answer.


End file.
